ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

I had forgotten this one I wrote for my son's first boat that he built some years back - so not technically done specifically for homework but I thought you might enjoy it regardless since it is a kind of a sea shanty.

LOVE CHILD – Maureen Clifford © The Scribbly Bark Poet


I’m the bloke that built this boat
and I’m the bloke that sails her
I’m the bloke that made her sound
and I’m the bloke who named her.

Laugh they did when first they saw
her name upon the transom
but they don’t laugh any more
for she’s worth a kings ransom

Fast she is when under sail
there are none who’ll catch her
Two headed love child is her name
and she’s a trophy snatcher

She was a labour of love
and two hulls we gave her
nothing strange about her name -
she was built in Australia

Haul away and heave away
haul away together
we’ll set sail for far flung shores
regardless of the weather.

Six hellish months passed and gone
we’ve sailed on oceans mighty
and we have heard the whales sweet song
and visited old Blighty.

I’m the bloke that built this ship
and I’m the bloke that sails her
Love Child has returned to port
back home in Australia.


He sold Love Child and sailed her out to her new owner in Noumea - I think he really regrets that now as he has been land bound for over 4 years building his current boat which is a 50 footer

I'm sure he does Maureen it looks like a beauty.


Bob

I'm not too much into sailing boats Maureen, more of the power boat mob, but that one sure looks a corker. Smart fellow your son. Did he work the boat building trade or is he just remarkably skilled and hands on?
Very much enjoyed your poem.
Wazza

I really enjoyed your poem Maureen,
It has that rollicking feel of the sea about it

Flash looking boat as well.

Terry

Great poem Maureen - it brought back so many memories of me and my ex building our yacht (well, he did most of the work since he is a boat builder!) and living on her for a year, centuries ago. We only sailed the Hawkesbury River before the wheels fell off the relationship and I moved to terra firma, but I can certainly relate to this poem (even though my idea of sailing these days is just sitting in the cockpit quaffing Champagne!)

Thanks people - my son is a boat builder by trade but Love Child was a join effort between him and my DIL and I am so proud of them both - Love Child is/was sleek and very fast - built as a racing boat and sailed out of Manly here in Queensland., although it is doubtful that the new owner in Noumea uses her that way. The new boat is a beauty as well but the downturn on the economy saw them both become very despondent about it. Sadly for the time and $'s they need to throw at her to finish her - they could fly to the States and pick up something already to go for around the same amount of money. Meanwhile she has become the most expensive garden ornament in their street - but they have decided to get stuck into her again this year. She was built with the luxury fishing/sailing tourist market in Asia in mind but sadly the economy saw that dissolve and the rich tourists dwindle to almost nothing - and so their venture with another bloke came to nothing.

Simply Breathless is the new girl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJFNaVyOW1w

Definitely does have the "hey there, ho there" feel of a sea shanty about it, Maureen!

Cheers, Shelley